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Capitals 5, Hurricanes 2

WASHINGTON (AP) -Alex Ovechkin got two goals and an assist, and Michael Nylander added two goals to help the Washington Capitals rally for a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in a preseason game Thursday night.

This was the second straight night the two Southeast Division rivals met. The Capitals scored a 4-1 victory over the Hurricanes Wednesday in Raleigh.

Nylander is returning after missing much of last year with a shoulder injury. He scored Washington's first goal after the Capitals fell behind 2-0 and put the Capitals in front for good on a back-hander 2:20 into the third period.

"The other team worked really hard," Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We stayed the course and eventually played a little better as the game went on."

Chris Bourque added an insurance goal at 6:08 of the third period to give Washington a 4-2 lead.

Ovechkin scored on a second-period penalty shot and got the game's final goal in the third period. The Capitals scored three third-period goals.

Carolina pressured the Capitals throughout the first period and took the two-goal lead on a pair of extra-man goals.

Dan LaCouture gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead by scoring off a rebound 4:49 into the game. Carolina got a second extra-man goal later in the period when Ryan Bayda scored with 8:57 left.

But Washington cut the lead to 2-1 when Nylander tapped in a rebound for a power-play goal 6:06 into the second period.

Ovechkin then tied it on a penalty shot with 5:08 left in the period, setting up the three-goal third period.

Notes: The Capitals will raise their Southeast Division championship banner at the home opener on Oct. 11 versus Chicago ... Washington's Chris Clark added two assists ... Carolina has four more exhibition games left.